Peanut butter and other worries

Well, let’s see. She had more peanut butter on Sunday – inadvertently – when she got a hold of some Easter candy from DH’s dad and Rhonda. We didn’t realize that piece was peanut butter filled. She only had a tiny bit. No reaction. So I let her have a tiny bit more here at work this morning. Ten minutes later, she’s running down the hall on the way to daycare while munching on half a Nutri-grain bar and she spits up. I seriously hope that had nothing to do with the peanut butter. She was running and eating at the same time. That’s a recipe for choking and gagging and an incredibly stupid thing to allow on my part. She was also dealing with some phlegm by the sounds of it. Please let that be all that it was: running, eating, and phlegm. We don’t need a peanut reaction.

I’m trying to get my mind off that little incident and be reasonable about it. It’s hard. All I can think of it peanuts, peanuts, peanuts, not running, gagging, phlegm . . . I just Googled it. It’s helped. I didn’t Google peanuts: I’m sure I’ll see something that’ll only cause me to worry more. Miss Mae is experienced with toddlers. She knows what is and isn’t normal for Kathleen. If she’s off or if Miss Mae has concerns, she will let me know.

I’m trying so hard to believe that.

Kathleen did eat quite a bit this morning. She had three quarter-cup servings of cereal plus milk and then that Nutri-grain bar. That’s more than she usually eats at one time. Her stomach must have been fuller than usual, so when she began coughing and gagging, she brought some of her breakfast up.

She used a spoon, I might add. With the cereal at breakfast. She successfully scooped a piece or two out of her bowl and put it in her mouth several times. She did very, very well.

Um, what else. We had an incident with Muggles on Saturday. DH’s mom and I were out with Kathleen and Muggles. We were standing at the side of the house below the crest of the hill when Cooper, a dog from across the street, sees us and comes running over. He sees Muggles and approaches her. I see the fur spiking between his shoulders. Muggles sees it, too, and starts lashing out at everyone and everything, yowling like a very scared and angry cat. I had her at arm’s length on a short leash to keep her as contained as possible. She still managed to catch Kathleen twice, once on the hand and once on her leg. I put myself between them while the onslaught lasted. Annika eventually grabbed Cooper. I grabbed Kathleen and dragged Muggles into the house. Mugs was fine by then. I, fortunately had the worst of the encounter with couple of rakes across my leg and wrist. Kathleen made it through with only a bleeding scratch on her hand which I cleaned and over which I placed a band-aid.

We were all fine, but they really, really need to put that dog – and all the others – on a leash. Annika commented that she didn’t know that cat was out when she grabbed Cooper. I know she didn’t: that’s why they need to be on leashes or otherwise contained if they can’t be depended upon to stay put or come when called. Cooper's a dachshund. I understand what they're like. They're stubborn things who have minds of their own and make use of them constantly. Sadie has taught us well. I was especially worry about Cooper. He’s snippy like Sadie. He has his neighbor’s labradoodle – a dog six times his size – cowed. Muggles is about the size of the prey dachshunds are bred to hunt. Sadie is fine around her, but Cooper is not accustomed to cats. I didn’t trust him not to attack Mugs given his track record. Mugs evidently had that impression as well.

You know, Rhonda asked yesterday if we were going to have another baby. I know I’d like more children, but I really don’t know if I could go through this again – the worrying over every blessed thing. I’m still on the peanut butter. If it’s not that, it’s every cold, fever, upset stomach, cat scratch, choking hazard, SIDS, forward facing car seat, potential dog bite, fall, drowning (I had a dream she drowned in the tub last week!), getting lost (last night’s dream), and whatever else my mind can come up with. I’ve been worrying about this baby girl since the night I learned I was pregnant. I know if we found ourselves in the family way again we would manage, but . . . this is one more indication that our decision not to try for more is the right one for us. Kathleen is our one, perfect girl.